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'Refugees Welcome': Oxfordshire town grapples with how to respond 'Refugees welcome': Oxfordshire town grapples with how to respond
(34 minutes later)
The school hall was packed, with all eyes fixed on the video screen and its images of overladen boats, lines of refugees and shell-shattered buildings in Syria.The school hall was packed, with all eyes fixed on the video screen and its images of overladen boats, lines of refugees and shell-shattered buildings in Syria.
This was no normal Sunday service for the congregation of the Cornerstone Baptist church, who gather each week at the local primary school in Thame, south Oxfordshire.This was no normal Sunday service for the congregation of the Cornerstone Baptist church, who gather each week at the local primary school in Thame, south Oxfordshire.
Sunday’s service was dedicated to the plight of refugees, mainly Syrian, but those from Eritrea and elsewhere too.Sunday’s service was dedicated to the plight of refugees, mainly Syrian, but those from Eritrea and elsewhere too.
The pastor, Paddy Harris, had thrown open the doors to all in the local community, to anyone troubled, especially by recent tragic images, including that of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi. To anyone that wanted to find a way to help, he said. Now, more than 100 people – parents with young children, teenagers, the elderly, a whole cross section – had gathered. The pastor, Paddy Harris, had thrown open the doors to all in the local community, to anyone troubled, especially by recent tragic images, including that of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi. To anyone that wanted to find a way to help, he said. Now, more than 100 people – parents with young children, teenagers, elderly people, a whole cross section – had gathered.
“I’m hoping it will show me ways to act, guide towards a practical solution,” said Sally Hobson, 39, a community paediatrician and regular church attendee, whose heart had been telling her to do something but she wasn’t quite sure what.“I’m hoping it will show me ways to act, guide towards a practical solution,” said Sally Hobson, 39, a community paediatrician and regular church attendee, whose heart had been telling her to do something but she wasn’t quite sure what.
Amanda Clarke, 46, a barrister and part-time judge, agreed. “I’m hoping it will inspire us towards a more positive way forward,” she said.Amanda Clarke, 46, a barrister and part-time judge, agreed. “I’m hoping it will inspire us towards a more positive way forward,” she said.
Thame is a small town, one of the safest Conservative seats in the country, whose former MPs include Boris Johnson and Michael Heseltine. Here, as in many communities across the UK, the scale of the humanitarian refugee crisis was appreciated. The question to be addressed on Sunday, though, was what they could each do. Thame is a small town, in one of the safest Conservative seats in the country, whose former MPs include Boris Johnson and Michael Heseltine. Here, as in many communities across the UK, the scale of the humanitarian refugee crisis was appreciated. The question to be addressed on Sunday, though, was what they could each do.
Each lit a candle, said a personal prayer, then sat in silence as Krish Kandiah, a member of the church’s leadership committee who works for the charity Home For Good, played a video appeal that he had filmed. How could they help? They could pray, he told them. Or pledge money. Anyone with a property for rent could make it available to the local council for refugees. Perhaps they could foster an unaccompanied minor. Or find other ways to help integrate refugees into their community. Each lit a candle, said a personal prayer, then sat in silence as Krish Kandiah, a member of the church’s leadership committee who works for the charity Home For Good, played a video appeal he had filmed. How could they help? They could pray, he told them. Or pledge money. Anyone with a property for rent could make it available to the local council for refugees. Perhaps they could foster an unaccompanied minor. Or find other ways to help integrate refugees into their community.
The image of tiny Aylan, whose lifeless body cradled by a Turkish police officer went around the world last week, was not shown. But others, stark images of walking lines of the displaced, and the bombed-out places they once called home, conveyed just as powerful a message.The image of tiny Aylan, whose lifeless body cradled by a Turkish police officer went around the world last week, was not shown. But others, stark images of walking lines of the displaced, and the bombed-out places they once called home, conveyed just as powerful a message.
When the film finished, Kandiah stood in front of the hushed congregation and asked them to discuss how they might act positively. “We need to be careful that we act well and not just out of a sense of panic,” he cautioned.When the film finished, Kandiah stood in front of the hushed congregation and asked them to discuss how they might act positively. “We need to be careful that we act well and not just out of a sense of panic,” he cautioned.
This is a cafe-style church, with people sitting informally on chairs, some with coffee. As they turned to each other to talk, the younger children at the back busily coloured in a huge banner, reading “Refugees Welcome”.This is a cafe-style church, with people sitting informally on chairs, some with coffee. As they turned to each other to talk, the younger children at the back busily coloured in a huge banner, reading “Refugees Welcome”.
Mike Hill, a senior officer with the Metropolitan police, believed the horrific picture of little Aylan, and the tragedy that led to the death of him, his mother and his five-year-old brother, had shocked the nation into awareness that the government’s policies “are not looking after the most vulnerable people”. Mike Hill, a senior officer with the Metropolitan police, believed the horrific picture of Aylan, and the tragedy that led to the death of him, his mother and his five-year-old brother, had shocked the nation into awareness that the government’s policies are not looking after the most vulnerable people.
Related: Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers: what's the difference?
From the service he hoped for “a better understanding”. He said: “We see those horrible pictures. We know what is happening, It’s where can we best galvanise our action, manage resources to best effect.”From the service he hoped for “a better understanding”. He said: “We see those horrible pictures. We know what is happening, It’s where can we best galvanise our action, manage resources to best effect.”
Like many of those gathered, he believed the government’s response had been slow, but he welcomed recent changes increasing the numbers of Syrian refugees that Britain will take. Like many of those gathered, he believed the government’s response had been slow, but he welcomed recent changes increasing the number of Syrian refugees that Britain will take.
Hugh Tulloch, 79, a retired local government officer, believed David Cameron had been “coerced into it by the general feeling”.Hugh Tulloch, 79, a retired local government officer, believed David Cameron had been “coerced into it by the general feeling”.
“The government has changed [its stance],” said Clarke. “I guess it’s a good outcome from a rubbish situation. That it had to get to that point before it changed is tragic.”“The government has changed [its stance],” said Clarke. “I guess it’s a good outcome from a rubbish situation. That it had to get to that point before it changed is tragic.”
Harris chose “Home” as the theme of his sermon. Today, he added, was about those who no longer had a safe place to call home.Harris chose “Home” as the theme of his sermon. Today, he added, was about those who no longer had a safe place to call home.
“I think it is a dilemma for Christians,” said Steve Paver, 48, who is originally from South Africa and who described himself as “an economic migrant”.“I think it is a dilemma for Christians,” said Steve Paver, 48, who is originally from South Africa and who described himself as “an economic migrant”.
“The temptation is the quick and easy actions and the short-term needs. And that is important, but it’s going to be a long-term problem,” he said.“The temptation is the quick and easy actions and the short-term needs. And that is important, but it’s going to be a long-term problem,” he said.
“I think the need is so overwhelming and as a Christian I believe even the small things we can do have greater value than we realise.”“I think the need is so overwhelming and as a Christian I believe even the small things we can do have greater value than we realise.”